


Possessive Tendencies

by Llama1412



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Episode Related, Episode: s03e06 The Changeling, Gen, M/M, Slight spoilers for 3.06
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-19
Updated: 2010-10-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23484943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llama1412/pseuds/Llama1412
Summary: Merlin was just a tad possessive.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51





	Possessive Tendencies

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on livejournal in 2010. Posted unedited.

Merlin would admit to being a little insecure. After all, he hadn't grown up tall, blonde, and handsome and he was hardly what anyone would call fit. As such, he couldn't really have confidence in his looks like Arthur could. So yeah, he was a bit insecure.

Unfortunately, this insecurity tended to reveal itself in intense bursts of jealousy. Strangely, even though he knew Arthur's preference for men, he was never jealous of the knights or visiting noblemen. He knew Arthur liked some of them well enough, but there was a clear line that Arthur restricted himself from crossing when it came to them.

No, instead it was the women who made Merlin ridiculously jealous. There was Gwen, of course, who was lovely and wonderful and truly deserved a good man. His envy of her was reasonable, even if Arthur picked Merlin over her after all. Still, Gwen was his friend and, as much as losing Arthur would kill him, he'd prefer to lose him to her than to anyone else.

But it wasn't just Gwen that tried to catch the Prince's eye. Uther shoved princess after noblewoman after princess at him in hopes of marriage. Rationally, Merlin knew that Arthur wouldn't just up and leave him for one of these women. He hardly had a chance to get to know them, much less fall in love with them, and Arthur had already declared to the Court that he wouldn't be marrying without love.

Still, when it came down to it, that didn't stop Merlin from hating them with every fiber of his being. He hadn't been entirely discreet about sabotaging the last two marriage offers, Merlin knew, and he also knew that Arthur had probably suspected him all along. Why else would he be calling Merlin to his room with a glare as soon as the latest Princess left?

"Did you need something, sire?" Merlin asked, fingers knotting themselves in the hem of his tunic.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, _Mer_ lin. Or is it too much to expect that my servant do his _job_? You – " Arthur paused, giving him an exasperated look. "Oh, for the love of god, Merlin, relax. You look as though I'm going to castrate you."

Merlin squeaked, reflexively covering his groin. Arthur quirked a pointed eyebrow.

"It – you – um...sorry." Merlin muttered, pouting down at his feet.

"I should bloody well hope you are, Merlin! Do you have any idea how foolish I'd look if somebody noticed?"

Merlin frowned. Okay, so he may have been a little cruel to that princess, but ensuring a number of (moderately) harmless accidents befall her would hardly make Arthur look foolish even if Merlin were discovered to be cause. "Arthur, what...? Look, I mean, it's not like she was hurt, really (that part where she twisted her ankle doesn't count as it was really more because of her shoes than my actions, honest), but even if she were, I hardly see how that would humiliate _you_."

Arthur blinked. "What? Oh, the – Merlin, I'm not angry about the accidents. Incidentally, though, it would make me look foolish if the Court thought I couldn't control my own servant's obvious infatuation with me and also, you really shouldn't be using your magic so carelessly, but _Mer_ lin, what you're being yelled at for is dressing me in a pair of trousers that have a bloody hole in them! Honestly, with the amount of time you spend staring at my arse, I'd have thought you'd catch something like that, but _no_ , it took _Morgana mocking me_ over it and for god's sake, Merlin, it really can't be that hard to do your job properly!"

"I – wait, what? Hold on. You're saying that you don't really care that the Princess left crying about all her ruined dresses, but about a little tear in your own clothing? And you call _me_ a girl?" Merlin smirked, circling around Arthur to survey the tear. It was a tiny thing, just below his left hip on the back. Really, it was hardly noticeable unless you were looking for it. In fact... "How on earth did Morgana notice that? Surely _she_ wasn't staring at your arse!"

"How should I know, Merlin? Though really, you have nothing to fear from Morgana. Please don't go chasing her away; she'll eat you alive."

Merlin pouted. "I can take care of myself," he grumbled. "All right, pants off, your highness." Arthur obediently dropped them, which rather distracted Merlin from the task of repairing the clothes. Oh well. They'd be there later, anyway.

\--

Later, as they were lying sated, propped against the headboard of Arthur's enormous bed, Merlin inquired, his face buried against Arthur's neck, "You really don't mind? The, well, 'accidents'?"

Arthur's chest rumbled, a chuckle reverberating through his torso. "Merlin, it was perfectly obvious it was you from the beginning. If I'd had a problem with it, you'd have heard about it then. It's, well...Ikindoflikeit." He mumbled.

"What?" Merlin pulled back to look at Arthur clearly.

The prince's cheeks were dusted pink, his eyes not meeting Merlin's. "I said I...kind of...you know."

"Um, no, I really don't."

Arthur breathed out in a noisy exhale, leveling Merlin with a baleful glare. "I said I liked it, you bloody idiot. Jeez, can't you even try to listen? Useless, that's what you are."

Merlin's mouth stretched into a delighted grin. "You like that I get jealous over you."

Arthur was definitely blushing now. "Gods, shut up. You're an idiot.

Merlin laughed. "You love me anyway."

Arthur threw a pillow at him, sending Merlin off balance and rolling around the far side of the bed. From there, the escalating pillow fight was inevitable, really.

(Two weeks later when a stable boy hit on Merlin, he found himself squire to a knight that would be riding out to the Northern border that evening. Arthur definitely didn't have anything to do with it.)

**ETA:** [](http://m0nsterface.livejournal.com/profile)[**m0nsterface**](http://m0nsterface.livejournal.com/) drew me [fanart](http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n601/linimonster/?action=view&current=12-15-2010103645PM.png)! Check it out!


End file.
